At least 69 people have been killed and dozens injured after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines late on Tuesday.
The province of Cebu, which suffered the brunt of the damage, declared a state of calamity early on Wednesday, after thousands spent the night on the streets amid repeated aftershocks.
One Cebu resident told the BBC he was among them, adding that power and water supplies were cut off. He says the voices of crying children could be heard around him, adding that they were traumatised.
The earthquake comes barely more than a week after the country was hit by back-to-back typhoons which killed more than 20 people.
Most of the earthquake victims were from Bogo, a small town on one of the largest islands in the Visayas region, and the place closest to the earthquake's epicentre. Images from Bogo show body bags lined on the street and hundreds of people being treated in tent hospitals with alarmingly high casualty numbers reported.
Local authorities have appealed for volunteers with medical experience to help deal with injuries, as buckled and cracked roads are hindering access for emergency services. Additionally, seven of those who died were living in a village created for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the central Philippines years prior.
Cebu's archbishop has urged worshippers to stay away from churches due to structural damage concerns, emphasizing the region's rich history of architecture dating back to the Spanish colonization.
As officials prioritize search and rescue operations and restore electricity, they warn that the death toll may rise as the aftermath of the calamity unfolds.
